Spring-wheel.



A. 0. SMITH.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1912.

Patented July 29, 1.913.

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Specification gi dietters lntent. Patenteddnly 29?, 1.913.

Application filed use 24%, 1912. Eerisl lilo. 70 60d.

. To all whom. i may co e n;

it known thatl", ARTHpR 0. SMITH; a

cit en of th 'UhitediiiStates, r in a Lakeiiip n th o nty of B a e nState 5 of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and pse fnl Improvementsin Spring-Wheels, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing bad to the accompanying d a ing his invention comprehends certainnew and'useful improvements in spring wheels particularly adap ed forautomobiles although applicable to. other kinds of vehicles.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a s ring Wheel comprising aninner rim, an out r rim connected thereto by a plurality of spokes andahub positioned within the inner rim and spaced therefrom by a number ofcurved flatmetal springs.

The invention also aims to generally improve wheels of this nature torender them stronger,-more efficient and more commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as shall become apparent asv thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novelconstructions and arrangement of parts, as I shall hereinafter fullydescribe and claim.

in-which- Figure 1 1s a side elevation of a haif 5 wheel constructed inaccordance with my invention, the outer side plate being partly brokenaway. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the'plane of line 2- 2 in Fig. 1;Fig. 3is a horizontal section on the plane of line 33 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 4-4 pf Fig. 1. Similarparts are referred to in the following description and designated in theac companying drawing bylike reference characters. A s V I Referring tothe drawing ,by-numerals .1 designates an outer or road rim carrying thetire 2, and held in spaced relationship to an inner rim 3 by a pluralityof spokes 4. Octagonal side plates 5 are positioned on opposite sides-ofthe inner mm 3 and secured in position by the boltsfi which pass throughthe corners of said side plates and engage the outer surface of theinner rim. Each of the side plates is provided on its inner surface withan -ular groove 7 which receives one edge of the innerrim and is for thepurpose of holding the rim in proper relationship to the plates. It willbe nloticed that the side plates project outwardly a slight distancebeyond the inner rim and bear against the spokes a assisting materiallyin securing them in position.

A} circular hub 8 is loosely retained in the cas ng formed by the sideplates and the inner surface of the inner rim; A plurality.

of slightly curved springs 9' each being formed with a longitudinal slot10' in its outer end are secured to the inner surface of the inner'rim 3by a plurality of lugs ll which extend transversely of the inner rim.Each of the lugs is provided with an enlarged head 12 for the purpose ofretaining one'of t e springs 9 in position thereon. The inner ends ofthe springs overlap and bear against the periphery of the hub 8 therebysupporting the hub normally concentrieally within the rim 3. The springs9 are not secured in, any manner to the hub but rest freely against theperiphery thereof so that the movement of said hub within the rim is notrestricted in any manner by the springs. The hub is prevented fromrotating independently of the remainder of the wheel by a bolt 13-w-hichhas its ends For a complete understanding of the in-' vention, referenceis to be had to the follow- 1 description and accompanying drawing,

se'cured in the side plates and which passes through a radial slot 14formed in the hub. In order that the friction produced by the boltlSworking-within the slot 14 may be reduced as much as possible, I providea roller 15 which is mounted on the bolt 13 and which engages the sideWalls of the slot.

An axle 16 1S. keyed to the hub 8 and passes through oppositely disposedcentral openings 17 formed in the side pla te s 5. The openings 17 areclosed by circular plates 18 which are also keyed to the axle 16 andwhich bear against the outer sides 1 of the plates 5.

Inasseinbling myjn'iproved spring wheel,

the springs .9 are secured to the inneririm;

3 by slipping the slots formed'in their outer ends over the lugs 11 andthen turning the springs 9 so that they will lie within the rim 3. Thisturning action locks the longitudinalslots 10 at right angles to theheads 12 of-said lugs. .Next the. hub 8 is positioned within the rim 3and then the side plates 5 are bolted in-' osition. The circular plates18 and'the ax e 1.6 are-next springs 9 on the lugs 11 since it bringsthe secured in position and finally the connect-- ing bolt 13 is slippedthrough the radial I slotin the hub, the roller sleeve heingpreviouslypositioned in said slot, and secured to the side plates In the operationof my improved wheel,

the rotation of the axle andhub is transmitted to the remainder of thewheelby the connecting .pin or bolt 13 and since this bolt works withinthe radial slot the hub is free to more a limited distance from itsnormal concentric position within the rim 3. The springs 9 are ofsufiioient strength to support any load which is apt to'be placed uponthe wheel and since-they are I 15 connected to the rim 3 by the lug 11passing through a slot in. each sprlng, they are permitted a slightcircumferential movement which will relieve the strain upon them shouldit become too great.

- 'Itis to he understood that while I have shown the preferredembodiment of my in- \ention, slight changes in the constructionandarrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the scope orspirit of, the invention.

'Having thus described the invention,

what: I claim is: p

,-l. A spring wheel' comprising an outer rimyan inner rim, spokessecuredbetween flat metal springs each of which is formed adjacent one end witha longitudinal slot somewhat longer than the heads of the fastening lugsand whereby said spring may be secured in position, the freerendsfofsaid,

spring bear ng loosely against the peripheryof the hub, side platesinjclosing the inner portion of, said Wheel and means-for connecting thehub to said pla tes.

2. A spring wheel compris ng an outer rim, an inner rim, spokes securedbetween'-- said'rims, a hubloosely positioned within the inner mm, aplurality of spaced fasten ing lugs formed integral with 'theiiiner faoeof the last mentioned rim and proviifled with elongated transverselyextending. heads, a f 1 plurality of fiat metal springs, each of which15 provided at one end with a'longi;

heads of said fastening lugs and. whereby the spring may be easilysecured #thereto,

the free ends of saidspring's overlapping tudinal slot of agreaterlongth-thanthe and bearing loosely against the peripheryof'thehub, 'side plates removably' secured to the inner run and serving toretain said.

springs and. hub in their proper operative position, and meansforcminecting the hub to said. plates.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my i signature in the presence ofmo w tnesses.

Witnesses: I I

S. P.' SHUEY, p G. JV. .ALLEN.

Qopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of serene,"

- Washington, D. C.

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